Tuesday, April 26, 2011Posted: 10:05 PM
By Patrick Mooney
CSNChicago.com
Matt Garza protected his teammates late Monday night, blaming the loss to the Colorado Rockies on his error, not the three committed by Starlin Castro. Garza was upfront and accountable, saying it was all his fault.
Garza didnt throw anyone under the bus. But when asked a big-picture question about the state of the team, he accidentally let this line slip.
Were a good ballclub, man. (We) keep fighting, Garza said. Were doing all this with practically three starters.
Yes, the Cubs have lost 40 percent of their rotation and they took another hit with Tuesdays 4-3 loss to the Rockies in front of an announced crowd of 38,261 at Wrigley Field.
Making his third spot start, James Russell essentially kept the Cubs in the game, but allowed all four runs and used up his 82 pitches after four innings. Manager Mike Quade said he hasnt thought about what the Cubs will do next for a fifth starter.
MLB
(Options) change every time someone makes a start somewhere else, Quade said. You keep looking at the people that are pitching in Triple-A and anybody that can give you length and quality. And if no ones ready to do that, then well do something from within again.
Soon it could be time to take a closer look at Jay Jackson, who was part of the 2008 draft class that also yielded Andrew Cashner and Casey Coleman.
Jacksons believed to be past the elbow tendonitis issues that delayed the start of his season. Hes already made two starts for Triple-A Iowa and on Tuesday allowed one run on four hits across 6.2 innings in Memphis.
No matter what the Cubs decide, Russell has earned their trust as a situational left-handed reliever, and their respect for going with the flow.
Im here to do whatever they need me to do, Russell said. I get paid to throw a baseball. Whenever they want me to throw it, Im ready.
Todd Helton was responsible for two of the three homers that Russell allowed. Helton launched a 78 mph slider into the right-field seatsRussell described it as wind-aidedand blasted an 80 mph changeup that landed on top of the batters eye in center.
Heltons been doing it for a long time, Russell said. More often than not, hes going to get you.
Russell has allowed six home runs in his past two starts, a stretch of eight innings at Wrigley Field. The total damage from his three starts: 13 runs on 19 hits in 9.2 innings.
The Cubs (10-13) will send the 23-year-old Coleman (7.43 ERA) to the mound on Wednesday afternoon to avoid the sweep against the first-place Rockies (16-7). Theyll be hoping for good news by then.
Cashner (rotator cuff strain) and Randy Wells (forearm strain) will have been re-evaluated by the teams medical staff and should have a better idea when they can start throwing off the mound and thinking about bullpen sessions.
The two right-handers have been playing long toss. There is only a general feeling that Wells will come off the disabled list before Cashner, though the Cubs are not setting a timetable.
The Cubs will charter to Phoenix on Wednesday night. This upcoming series against the Arizona Diamondbacks will allow them to check on two veteran pitchers building up strength in Mesa.
Todd Wellemeyerwho may have already been in the rotation if not for the hip injury that derailed his spring trainingcontinues to make progress. Doug Daviswho agreed to a minor-league deal two weeks agois also working out at the complex but will still need to pitch at an affiliate first.
Whoever joins the rotation will need more help. Alfonso Sorianowho homered in the ninth inningput it simply: We got to score more runs.
Patrick Mooney is CSNChicago.com's Cubs beat writer. Follow Patrick on Twitter @CSNMooney for up-to-the-minute Cubs news and views.